How to Stay Safe This SeaFair Weekend

SeaFair is one of my all-time favorite Seattle area events. I know that the Blue Angels travel the United States and do air shows all over the place, but there is something truly majestic about them roaring past the Space Needle with Mount Rainier visible in the background. They surely are a Northwest favorite and an event so many people in Seattle look forward to every August.

Of course, the most fun way to enjoy SeaFair is by boat! There are log booms rafted up with perfect views of the hydroplane races and air show. The log boom itself has quite the reputation for being a hardcore party spot, with many people coming to spend the day in the sun doing hardcore drinking, amongst other things.

I am not writing this to be a a total buzz kill. However, due to the extreme party crowd this event attracts, there is at least one death at SeaFair every year. A typical scenario is – super drunk friend slips on boat, hits head and falls into water… Lake Washington is 200 feet deep+ in many sections. Being drunk and barely conscious results in sinking to the bottom of the lake, only to be found by search parties hours later, long after they have passed.

This year, weather for SeaFair Friday is set to reach almost 100 degrees… that’s right guys… ONE HUNDRED DEGREES IN SEATTLE! People in Seattle notoriously can’t hang in weather like this anyways since they are so used to the perpetual 73 degrees that it is out here, so I am a little extra worried what that means for SeaFair goers.

So, if you plan to go out and hit it hard this SeaFair weekend, please keep safety in mind… especially with this over-the-top heat! Here are some ideas on how you can keep your friends safe on the water this SeaFair celebration:

1. Have a designated boat driver. This occurs to many people when it comes to driving on the road, but not in boats. Washington State laws recently changed, giving a BUI (boating drunk driving infraction) the same weight as a DUI. The cops will be out looking for people heavily drinking and not following the rules, and you WILL go to jail if pulled over for drinking. Not only will this keep your friends safer, but it will keep you out of trouble too.
2. Bring a ton of water on your boat. I feel like SeaFair is basically the Western Washington equivalent of EDC. Everyone thinks it is a cool time to do drugs and substitute alcohol in place of food and water. Again, its going to be ONE HUNDRED degrees out. Don’t fry your brain and drink some friggin’ water.
3. LIFE JACKETS. Bring them. Wear them. Yes, I know it is really important to look good in your bikini for SeaFair and a stupid orange life jacket will kill your vibe. But, it gets to a certain point where safety needs to come first. Make sure your boat has a life jacket for every person on board (that will make you compliant if you get pulled over anyways). If you have a friend become so intoxicated that they are having a hard time keeping their balance, do your bro a favor and put a life jacket on them. IDK, make a drinking game out of it so you feel like it is cool or something. When the fall and slip into the lake later, you will have saved their life.
4. Just assume all the other boaters are drunk and have no idea what they are doing. I am just saying to keep an extra eye open, and give yourself a little extra space as you are boating to/from the air show. Since there is so much heavy drinking this weekend, boating accidents are more likely and it is good to err on the side of caution. If a boater looks like they are coming at you too fast or aren’t going to give way, just get yourself out of the way for the heck of it.

BLAH BLAH blah okay I am done being Debbie downer over here. SeaFair is one of my favorite weekends of the summer and I in no way am trying to be negative. I however just want everyone to be have fun and be safe!

If you have any questions about SeaFair weekend or boating here in the Northwest in general, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Happy SeaFair all!!

X.O. – Abbey Co.

P.S. – all life jackets aren’t ugly! Here are a few cute options… if you click the link some men’s options will populate too.

Ronix Limelight Life Jacket Black (M)

 

 

 

 

RONIX August Infant Girl’s Life Jacket

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